Tug Valley may join a new Class A conference

The Tug Valley Panther athletic teams may be joining a new Class A conference.

Head football coach Tony Clusky, who has been serving as the school’s Athletic Director, recently attended a meeting about the proposed conference.

Clusky said some of the schools that are interested in forming the new Single A conference are Buffalo of Putnam, Man, Van and Sherman.

The talks are just in the preliminary stages. No name has been selected for the new conference, according to Clusky.

He said there would likely be eight schools if the new conference comes to fruition. Other possible high schools that could be invited to join the new league are Meadow Bridge and Valley of Fayette.

Clusky also announced that he will be resigning as AD at the school, but will continue to coach football.

… The annual Panther Pride Basketball Camp will be held June 10, 11 & 12 at the Tug Valley gym.

Tug Valley head coach Garland ‘Rabbit’ Thompson and his staff will be conducting the skills and fundamental hoops camp. Kids from K-4th grade will attend from 9-11:30 a.m., while 5th-8th grades players will participate from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. The price is $40 and campers will get a T-shirt. For more info or to pre-register call 304-235-1531, 235-2261 or 304-784-5298.

… Mingo Central tennis player Kyle Surber is playing in the state tournament today in Charleston. He plays Drew Poling of St. Mary’s at around 12 noon at the Charleston Catholic Athletic facilities.

… WVU’s Ryan Nehlen will get a chance to show his skills to the Detroit Lions. The former Mountaineer receiver and Morgantown native has been offered a spot at the Lions’ rookie mini-camp this coming weekend as a tryout player. Nehlen is the grandson of former WVU head coach Don Nehlen. He didn’t have the most impressive stats at WVU, but when called upon, he did a good job. He played behind two NFL draft picks and another player who signed as a free agents.

His pro day workout numbers were solid - 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical jump and over 11 feet on the broad jump. Nehlen hopes to become a doctor. So if he doesn’t make it he has something to fall back on.

… Apparently the state’s high school basketball player of the year, Donte Grantham, is no longer on coach Bob Huggins radar. Grantham, of Martinsburg, was offered a scholarship once one became available. WVU had three players who decided to transfer a couple of weeks ago.

But, Grantham apparently couldn’t make up his mind. So Huggins has brought in two other players, Remi Dibo of Casper Junior College in Wyoming and Jonathan Holton, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward.

Dibo, listed at 6-foot-9, 225 pounds, is a rangy forward with the ability to shoot the 3-pointer.

A Miami native, Holton currently attends Palm Beach State Community College in Florida and attended Rhode Island in 2011-12. He was originally recruited by several Division One schools out of Mountain State Academy in Beckley. He is from Paris, France. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

When Dibo took his visit over the weekend, he was joined by Holton, who signed on Monday, and point guard Jeff Newberry, a target to potentially join the Mountaineers for 2014 out of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

As for 6-7 Grantham, as the old saying goes, “you snooze, you lose.” WVU couldn’t keep waiting on him to make up his mind. It would have been good for the program to get one of the state’s top players, however, many think he was a project. Grantham may be headed to a prep school or be red-shirted if he signs with another school.

… The ASEP coaching class will be held May, 11, 12 & 13 at Huntington High School for those interested in coaching a secondary school sport in West Virginia. You can pre-register at wvssac.org. The instructor is Willie Wilson.

(Kyle Lovern is the sports editor for the Williamson Daily News. Comments or story ideas can be sent to klovern@williamsondailynews.com or klovern@civtasmedia.com)